Questions to Ask Prospective Kitchen Contractors

Most homeowners don’t hire kitchen renovation contractors every day. So they typically aren’t familiar with the right questions to ask to weed out the good ones from the bad. Mr. Kitchen is here to help.

Before you sign a contract for a kitchen renovation with a contractor, see how they answer these questions. If you like what you hear, move forward with the project. If you don’t, keep looking.

‘How Realistic Is Your Time Frame?’

Builders usually will give you a rough estimate of how long it will take to complete your project. But these aren’t usually set in stone because there are a lot of complications that can cause delays, setbacks, and even major changes. If your contractor guarantees that they can complete your project within a definite time frame, they may be stretching the truth in order to get the job.

‘How Will You Respect My Privacy?’

Kitchen renovators often work in homes while the residents are still there. So it’s important that they take steps to minimize disruption.

While construction projects tend to be noisy, messy, and annoying to homeowners, there are steps top-quality contractors can take to make life easier during the renovation job. Ask for radios to be kept at reasonable levels and that workmen be cognizant and respectful of residents.  You also want to have plastic curtains put up to minimize dust and debris from getting into other areas of the home.

‘What’s Your Policy on Cost Overruns?’

Contractors generally will quote you a price for your project. But inevitably, things will go wrong. And when they do, there may be cost overruns. Who pays for these? (Spoiler Alert: Usually, it’s the homeowner.) But it’s worth asking the contractor before you hire them how these overages will be handled. What you want to hear is that they will seek approval from you for each line item before going over budget.

These are just a few of the many questions you should be asking kitchen renovation contractors before hiring them for your job. But they are enough to give you an idea of the type of contractor you are dealing with.